A new mural by Katzie First Nation artist Rain Pierre will soon be painted at South Bonson Community Centre, to celebrate local Indigenous art as well as the reopening of the new Pitt Meadows Art Gallery (PMAG).
The mural will take the name of Pierre’s great grand uncle, a traditional name pronounced slum-ooh. It will be installed outside the front entrance of the centre, and will also mark the reopening of PMAG at its new location there. The gallery was relocated to make way for the new RCMP detachment. Residents should expect to see Pierre’s work installed in spring 2024, to coincide with his first solo art exhibition.
“I am once again filled with pride in the work of Katzie First Nation artist, our own Rain Pierre,” said Chief Grace George. “As we continue to celebrate our gifts, it’s important that we see them displayed and shared within our territory. We can visually connect to the world that has been built around us.
“Rain’s gift is not just art, we understand it to be a part of himself, which inevitably is a part of us as a people,” the chief continued. “The meaning of this piece is significant to our community and I’m grateful to witness this sacred sharing.”
Mayor Nicole MacDonald said her council wants to support First Nations art.
“This beautiful work by Rain Pierre will be the perfect addition to Osprey Village,” said Mayor Nicole MacDonald. “It is important to our city council that we uplift and honour Indigenous art in our community, and we’re very excited to celebrate the reopening of PMAG in its new home with this collaboration with Rain.
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Pierre specializes in spray paint art. He quit his job in the civil engineering realm to become a full-time artist in 2016, and has done a number of projects in the Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge area, including two murals near the Golden Ears Bridge for Metro Vancouver.
“This project is located right on Katzie First Nation territory and means a lot to me, my family, and the Katzie,” said Pierre. He chose to name the mural after his great grand-uncle, “whose ancestral name I carry with honour and pride.
“This project is a tribute to my Pierre family, and all the elders and survivors.”
The mural will be unveiled in conjunction with Pierre’s solo exhibition at PMAG, which will run March through April 2024.
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